"[1] Küchük Muḥammad started out as would-be khan at (old) Astrakhan from c. 1428, supported by his possible uncles, Ghāzī and Nawrūz, the sons of Edigu.
However, Ulugh Muḥammad alienated more of his leading emirs, like Tekne and Ḥaydar, who deserted him to set up their own khan, Sayyid Aḥmad, son of Beg Ṣūfī, in 1432.
The Russian Grand Prince Vasilij II Vasil'evič of Moscow sent tribute to all three khans in 1434, not wishing to risk displeasing any of them, faced as he was with rival claims on his throne.
Ulugh Muḥammad now sought refuge and support from Vasilij II of Moscow, who attacked the fugitive khan but was defeated.
Large sections of the Golden Horde remained outside his control, most notably the north under Ulugh Muḥammad, the southwest under Sayyid Aḥmad, and the east under Abu'l-Khayr of the Uzbeks and Maḥmūdāq of Sibir.